​The King’s Shadow, the second book in The Darkening Path trilogy, is a thrilling fantasy adventure that references ancient Greek mythology with a dash of Victorian gothic.

"You are the chosen ones from the other land who will come to seek their siblings and with the hunting horn and the sunsword tear the king’s shadow and overthrow the Broken King."

Simon and Flora have reached the land of the Broken King in search of their siblings. But here, nothing is quite what it seems. Who can Simon and Flora trust? What does Pike, their mysterious companion, stand to gain? As rumours of war and revolution swirl around them, and as the sinister Knight of the Swan dogs their every move, the pair must confront their terrifying final task.

And if they can free their siblings, will they then be able to open the way between the worlds, and return home?

Book One: The Broken Kingis a “magical story full of powerful images and unexpected consequences” (Julia Eccleshare), “superbly written and totally gripping” (Literary Review) and Philip Womack has been referred to as “the next JK Rowling” (Daily Mail).

The King’s Shadow remains full of atmosphere, menace and lightly-worn learning ... A darkly disconcerting high fantasy, in the vein of Alan Garner or Susan Cooper, it should appeal to adventurous young readers. - Literary Review

The central book in a trilogy poses problems for writers. Here, instead of serving up an interim slice, Womack delivers a whole, satisfying story with a twist at the end to set up the final instalment. Giants, dwarfs and magic all bubble in the mix — along with a dash of romance. - Financial Times

These teaching resources give ideas for discussion and activities, and feature themes from The Broken Kingand The King's Shadow, as well as offering suggestions for further reading. A free PDF copy of the notes is available below, or you can view them online here.

Full Reviews of The King's Shadow

Literary Review, June Issue - Imogen Russell-Williams

In the first book of the trilogy, Simon and Flora angrily wished their siblings away to the Broken King of the title.Now, following the commands of lustrous, mysterious messengers, they have crossed into his domain, determined to free their sister and brother. But the Silver Kingdom is a threatening, half-lit environment, full of obscurity, strangeness and fear. Its citizens scrutinise and betray each other for gain, and flock in zealous terror to hear new royal decrees, signalled by a cacophony of bells. The King’s portrait, horned and red-lipped, is everywhere.

The Broken King, Selenus himself, feeds upon the adulation of the faithful – and, literarily, on the life-force of Anna and Johnny, the wished-away siblings.Those who dare to flout him, or fall foul of his mercurial moods, are Taken Apart – ritually dismembered by four horned horses, with the grisly remnants hung afterwards from trees. So erratic has the King become that his own daughter, Selena, is rebelling against him. The shape-shifting, cunning Knight of the Swan, however, remains fanatically loyal.

Against this dangerous background, Simon and Flora must now make their way into the City, and find and free Anna and Johnny.But they can liberate their sister and brother only, it seems, by killing the Broken King. The commands that helped them over the border – eat the shadow, steal the sun, break the air – and the tools they used to fulfil them will now help them end his reign and his life. Can they wield the Mithraic sunsword and the horn that shivers walls against Selenus – and can they bear to do so?

The story dips into many perspectives, although it’s predominantly told from Simon’s point of view; this can make for a slightly jolting, dislocating feel.But it also imparts an intriguing sense of omniscience – the reader feels with all those who suffer the whims of the King, and yearns with them for what they remember and love best.

The King’s Shadow, like The Broken King and Womack’s debut, The Liberators, remains full of atmosphere, menace and lightly-worn learning.Classical influence is evident in the lunar names of King Selenus and his daughter, and in the compass directions of the Roman winds, Eurus, Notus, Zephyr; and there are nice, unsettling touches of warped courtliness and chivalry throughout. A darkly disconcerting high fantasy, in the vein of Alan Garner or Susan Cooper, it should appeal to adventurous young readers.

The central book in a trilogy poses problems for writers. Here, instead of serving up an interim slice, Womack delivers a whole, satisfying story with a twist at the end to set up the final instalment.The Broken King, the first book in the series, had a touch of Alan Garner in its mingling of the magical and the everyday. When Simon and Flora unwisely wished their annoying siblings away, stroppy Anna and druggy Johnny were spirited through a portal to the kingdom of the Broken King. Simon and Flora vowed to rescue them.This second book takes place entirely in the Silver Kingdom, full of knights and ladies, peasants and brutal punishments. Anyone who challenges the tyrannical king is “Taken Apart” — just as horrific as that sounds. Giants, dwarfs and magic all bubble in the mix — along with a dash of romance.